Further details of Conference being held in Rome which calls for an understanding of the “connection between justice and the vocation to be a fully human being”, a theme the Vincentian family can relate to.St. John’s University (NY) is one of the co-sponsors of this conference and played a major role in its planning.
Charles Clark, Ph.D., Economics Department was one of the conference planners. He is a frequent presenter at international conferences. Marilyn Martone, Department of Theology, is leading a seminary on Woman and Justice. She is very active in the Vatican Mission at the UN and has presented papers there on this topic.
The various papers and seminars cluster around the following:
1. Theological Reflection: What does it mean to say that Christ reveals to humanity its highest calling
(GS, 22)?
What are the implications of this vocation for a just temporal order?
What does it mean to
say that humanity is made in the image of God, especially in terms of an understanding of the
human person and his or her dignity?
How does this theological vision compare and contrast with
the contemporary discussions on human dignity and human rights?
How does the gospel contribute
to reading the signs of the times?
How do the theological doctrines of creation, redemption, eschatology,
etc., illuminate our understanding of time?
What happens when we lose an adequate sense of
history and sin as well as a profound sense of the future and eschatology in understanding the present
times?
How does a hermeneutical relationship between contemporary readers and a contemporary
context and the text of the gospels contribute to reading the signs of the times?
2. Exploration of the Church’s Mission in the Social Order: John Paul II has asked for “an examination
of conscience regarding the reception of the Second Vatican Council.” What has been the reception
of Gaudium et spes in the Church?
In light of the changes since Gaudium et spes, how does our current
situation inform the vocation of the Church in the world today?
What has been the impact of
Gaudium et spes on the social mission of the Church? In discerning God’s will within history, what
are the significant questions the Church’s social teachings should be facing?
How are the various
Catholic movements, agencies for social action and other witnesses in the Church responding to the
signs of the times, and what can we learn from these witnesses?
What are the challenges of the world
to the Church, and how should the Church be challenging the world?
3. Examination of Contemporary Economic, Political and Social Issues:
What illuminating reflection and
analysis can we make of the social problems and issues in light of the Catholic social tradition?
What
does the gospel, the Catholic social tradition (human dignity, common good, participation, subsidiarity,
etc.), and an understanding of the Christian vocation offer to the economic and political questions
of our time (globalization, the role of the firm, wealth inequity, poverty, consumerism, international
peace, immigration, democracy, terrorism, trade unions, welfare, nationalism, international governing
bodies, legislation with regards to life questions, etc.)?
What movements and witnesses provide a
new understanding of socio-economic and political issues in light of the vision and method of
Gaudium et spes?
What is the role of culture in forming the political and economic areas? In particular,
what is the role of the family in reconstructing diffused trust, community life, substantial democracy,
and economic participation?
In order for the conference to discern the signs of the times in light of the gospel, conference organizers
want to foster conversations and debates that are:
• Grounded theologically and philosophically: exploring ethical issues related to social questions
from the perspective of the theological and philosophical foundations of Catholic social thought and
in particular Gaudium et spes.
• Engaged with various disciplines: engaging the social tradition with the fields of economics, political
science, law, business, sociology, etc.
• Embodied institutionally: providing a reflection on the thought and action of those who live out
Catholic social thought. In particular, we are interested in papers focused on methods within the
framework of Catholic social thought aimed at enriching knowledge about concrete models for
adequate action against poverty, social sin and suffering.
Conference Sponsors:
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic
Social Thought of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas;
Centre for the
Study of Catholic Social Doctrine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; the Centre for Catholic
Social Thought, Catholic University of Leuven;
The Cardinal Pavan Chair for Social Ethics, Faculty
of Social Science, Pontifical University of St. Thomas, (Angelicum);
Faculty of Social Science,
Gregorianum;
Peter J. Tobin School of Business and the Vincentian Center for Church and Society,
St. John’s University
